Collapsible dairy crate

ABSTRACT

A collapsible dairy crate includes a base to which side walls and end walls are pivotably mounted. The side walls and end walls can be collapsed inward onto the base for efficient shipping and storage when empty. At least one of the end walls (or both), is also capable of being pivoted outward. The at least one end wall may also be pivoted outward 90 degrees (i.e. generally parallel to the base) and may be further pivoted another 90 degrees to a position extending downward from the base. The crate may be unloaded onto the grocery shelf through the end opening the crate.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/259,600, filed Nov. 24, 2015, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Dairy products, such as milk jugs, are often shipped to grocery stores in reusable plastic crates. A worker at the store removes the milk jugs from the crate and places them on shelves in the refrigerated cooler of the grocery store. The plastic crates are returned to the warehouse for reuse.

SUMMARY

A collapsible dairy crate includes a base to which side walls and end walls are pivotably mounted. The side walls and end walls can be collapsed inward onto the base for efficient shipping and storage when empty. At least one of the end walls (or optionally both), is also capable of being pivoted outward. The at least one end wall may be pivoted outward 90 degrees (i.e. generally parallel to the base) and may be further pivoted downward another 90 degrees (180 degrees from the upright, vertical position). The crate may be unloaded onto the grocery shelf through the end opening the crate. The end wall may be set on the grocery shelf while the items (such as milk jugs) are slid out of the crate, across the end wall and onto the shelf.

Alternatively, the at least one end wall can be pivoted downward such that the end wall is pivoted downward from the base. In this position, the crate can be brought into abutment with the grocery shelf before sliding the milk jugs onto the shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible dairy crate according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the crate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the crate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the crate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the crate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the crate of FIG. 1 with an identical crate stacked thereon.

FIG. 7 shows the crate of FIG. 1 in a collapsed position.

FIG. 8 shows the crates of FIG. 6 in a collapsed, stacked position.

FIGS. 9-11 show a sequence of pivoting open the end wall of the crate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 shows a person unloading milk jugs from the crate of FIG. 1 onto a grocery shelf.

FIG. 13 is a side view of grocery shelves with the crate of FIG. 1 and a plurality of milk jugs on each shelf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A collapsible dairy crate 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The crate 10 includes a base 12 and side flanges 14 extending upward from side edges of the base, which may be integrally molded with the base 12. Side walls 16 (or “long walls”) are connected to the side flanges 14 by pivoting and sliding hinges. End walls 18 (or “short walls”) are pivotably connected to end edges of the base 12. The side walls 16 are significantly longer (in this example, more than twice as long) as the end walls 18. Latches 20 selectively connect the end walls 18 to the side walls 16, as is well-known. Elongated handle openings 22 are formed in each side wall 16. Each of the base 12, side walls 16 and end walls 18 are injection molded as a single piece of a suitable plastic.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the crate 10. FIG. 3 is a side view of the crate 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a drag rail 26 protrudes downward from the base 12 of the crate 10, spaced just inward of the periphery. FIG. 4 is a top view of the crate 10. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the crate 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the crate 10 can be stacked on an identical crate 10. The drag rail 26 (not visible) of the upper crate 10 is received between the side walls 16 and the end walls 18 of the lower crate 10.

FIG. 7 shows the crate 10 in a collapsed configuration. The end walls 18 are collapsed onto the base 12. The side walls 16 are collapsed onto the end walls 18. The side walls 16 include hinge members 31 slidably and pivotably received in hinge receivers 30 formed in the side flanges 14, so that the side walls 16 must slide upward relative to the side flanges 14 before being pivoted downward to the collapsed position. The end walls 18 are connected by end hinges 32 to the base 12. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the side walls 16 are significantly shorter in height than the end walls 18 (i.e. not including the side flanges 14) so that they can be collapsed onto the base 12 between the side flanges 14.

As a result, referring to FIG. 8, another crate 10 can be stacked on the collapsed crate 10, with the drag rail 26 (not visible) received between the side flanges 14 of the lower crate 10 for stability. In the collapsed position, the crates 10 occupy a reduced volume for efficient storage and shipping when empty.

As shown in FIGS. 9-11, the end walls 18 can be pivoted approximately 180 degrees, from an upright, use position (FIG. 9) generally perpendicular to the base 12, to a collapsed position (FIG. 10) generally parallel to the base 12, to a downward, retracted position (FIG. 11) generally perpendicular to the base 12, but extending downward. In total, the end walls 18 can pivot approximately 270 degrees from the inwardly-collapsed position to the downward, retracted position.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, in use the crate 10 is loaded with a plurality of bottles or jugs, such as gallon milk jugs 80. In this example, four milk jugs 80 are arranged in a single row (in this case 1×4) in the crate 10. The delivery person brings the loaded milk jugs 80 to a store, opens one of the end walls 18 and can slide the milk jugs 80 out of the open end of the crate 10 onto a refrigerator shelf 100 from behind (FIG. 12). The crate 10 may have hooks or protrusions or a groove (not shown) on the ends of the side flanges 14 to rest on the shelf 100 while the milk jugs 80 are being loaded. The end wall 18 may be pivoted downward below the crate 10 and shelf 100 (generally transverse to the base 12) or may be pivoted downward to a position generally parallel to the shelf 100 and base 12 (FIG. 10), so that the jugs 80 can slide across the end wall 18 onto the shelf 100.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the shelves 100 with supports 102 protruding outward below the base 12 and above the side walls 16 to hold up the outer end of the crate 10. This extends each of the shelves 100 rearwardly enough to hold another jug 80 (or more). As the jugs 80 are removed from the front of the shelves 100, the additional jugs 80 will slide out of the crates 10 onto the shelves 100.

When the crates 10 are empty, they can be collapsed as shown in FIG. 7, stacked as shown in FIG. 8, and returned to the warehouse or loading facility to be loaded with jugs 80 and reused.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A collapsible crate comprising: a base; a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to side edges of the base, and pivotable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base; and a pair of opposed end walls pivotably connected to end edges of the base and pivotable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base, wherein at least one of the end walls is pivotable outward to a position extending downward from the base.
 2. The collapsible crate of claim 1 wherein the base includes a pair of side flanges integrally molded with the base, the side walls pivotably and slidably connected to the side flanges.
 3. The collapsible crate of claim 2 wherein the side walls are more than twice as long as the end walls.
 4. The collapsible crate of claim 3 in combination with a plurality of containers stored therein in a single row.
 5. The collapsible crate of claim 3 further including a plurality of latches selectively securing the end walls to the side walls.
 6. The collapsible crate of claim 1 wherein the side walls are more than twice as long as the end walls.
 7. The collapsible crate of claim 6 in combination with a plurality of containers stored therein in a single row.
 8. A method for delivering containers including the steps of: a) providing a crate carrying a plurality of containers arranged in a single row therein; b) pivoting a first wall of the crate outward to an open position; and c) sliding the plurality of containers on the base onto a shelf.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein in said step b) the first wall is pivoted outward and downward to the open position in which the first wall extends downward from the base.
 10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of sliding the plurality of containers on the first wall onto the shelf. 